Mail-bag



(No Model.)

0. DIGKENSON.

MAIL BAG.

No. 467,681. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DIOKENSON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,681, dated January 26, 1892. Application filed October 20, 1891- Serial No.409,326. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES DICKENSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bags; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to'the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to mail bags or pouches, and the object is to provide a protecting device for articles of this class which will prevent the Wear and tear during the process of transportation and more particularly during the loading and unloading from the office to the wagons, and vice versa,wherein they are usually dragged across the pavement, which rapidly destroys the bottom, corners, and edges of the sack or pouch; and to this end the novelty consists in providing said bag, pouch, or sack with a protecting device, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicate like parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail-bag tilted backward to show the bottom. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the protecting devices removed from the bag, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central view of one of the protecting-straps on theline of the rivets which secure it to the bag.

A is the bag proper, and B is the bottom thereof, and O O are aseries of flexible metallic straps which are secured to the sides of the bag, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the greater portion of theirlength extends along the sides of the bag and for a much shorter distance along the bottom. These strips 0 are composed of closed rectangular links D, joined together at equal intervals by straps E, which have their ends bent backward and over on the body of the strap to form eyes 6 e, which encompass the side bars of the links D, and in the center of the body of each strap E, between each pair of links, is a rivet-hole e, and through these holes and the adjacent portion of the bag a rivet F is inserted and closed, which securely fastens the strap to the bag without in any manner interfering with the flexibility of either the strap or bag, but rather combines them into one flexible piece. It will thus be seen that no matter what the shape of the bag or pouch may be, or whether the contents are loose-such as papers, let ters, or the likeor are of a more rigid nature-such as boxes or books or irregularlyshaped packages-the bag will conform to the contents and the flexible straps will conform to the shape of the bag. Of course it will be understood that the whole wear is taken up by the eyes e e, and in practice I prefer to chill or harden these parts, which will greatly add to their durability.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as newand useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United. States, 1s

1. In a mail bag, pouch, or the like, a flexible envelope having a flexible folding attachment consisting of a shield or shields composed of connectedflexible straps or hinges secured to said envelope, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mail bag or pouch, the combination, with a flexible envelope, of plates or straps provided with closed eyes 6, connected by links D, the whole secured to said envelope and forming a protecting-shield therefor, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES DICKENSON.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY J. ENNIS, OscAR HINRICHS. 

